Sign the Petition to

Tell ESPN: "Stop using the racist slur, 'R-dsk-ns'"

To: ESPN, Inc. Executives: John Skipper: President, Patrick Stiegman, the vice president and executive editor and producer of ESPN.com., and John Kosner: Executive Vice President, Digital and Print Media:ESPN's continued use of the crude racial slur 'R-dskins' in sports coverage is harmful, offensive, and unfit for television. Just as any other racial slur is not allowed to be broadcasted by the sports media network, the continued employment of this offensive term must end. Other media outlets, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Kansas City Star, Slate.com, and the Portland Oregonian, have dropped the term. ESPN-affiliated Sportscaster Bob Costas has also spoken out against the use of the word. It's time for ESPN to show respect and responsibility by ending the use of harmful racist slurs in their sports coverage.We are calling on ESPN to immediately update it's Editorial Guidelines for Standards and Practices to prohibit the use of the harmful and offensive slur, "R-dskins" in media, print, and television.

Signed,

Not Your Mascots, Inc.

This petition closed almost 2 years ago

How this will help

We are calling on ESPN to immediately update its Editorial Guidelines for Standards and Practices to ban the use of all racial slurs in the network's media coverage.

We are calling on ESPN to immediately update its Editorial Guidelines for Standards and Practices to ban the use of all racial slurs in the network's media coverage.

ESPN reaches millions of people via "six domestic networks, a major magazine, a heavily trafficked website and some of most trafficked and downloaded mobile apps, and a national radio network with hundreds of affiliates" according to Patrick Stiegman, the vice president and executive editor and producer of ESPN.

With such a major reach, this broadcast network needs to update its Editorial Guidelines for Standards and Practices to end the use of this harmful and offensive term.

A new report released by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) on October 13th, 2013 that using Native mascots has a negative impact on the self-esteem and academic achievement of Native youth in the United States. We call on ESPN to institute a policy banning the use of the term 'R-dsk-ns' in all broadcast coverage immediately.

It's time for ESPN to show respect and responsibility by ending the use of harmful racist slurs in their sports coverage.

We are calling on ESPN to immediately update it's Editorial Guidelines for Standards and Practices to ban the use of all racial slurs.